Brooklyn homeowner says water from community garden is destroying his property. Now he's considering taking the nonprofit to court.
NEW YORK – A Brooklyn man who is struggling to repair his property because of a neighboring community garden says despite a years-long dispute, nothing has been done.
CBS News New York first reported on the story last summer.
"It destroys my property"
Stephen Edward-Mortley is worried over the condition of his house. Mortley's mother, Hestina, first bought the Greene Avenue building in Bed-Stuy more than 50 years ago, and it quickly became home base for the whole family.
"This is my generational home. It belongs to my nieces, my nephews, sisters, my cousins," he said.
Next door to the building is a lush oasis called the Garden of Angels, where chickens roam and vegetables thrive. It's managed by a volunteer-run nonprofit called the Brooklyn Queens Land Trust, which works to preserve spaces like these.
Mortley has been in an ongoing dispute with the trust for more than five years after he says water from their side of the property began seeping into his basement.
"The water that comes in from the rain, the snow just basically comes in and it destroys my property," he told CBS News New York's Hannah Kliger.
The sharp smell of mold and rot hits you as soon as you walk down the basement stairs. Some of the steps and the floor around them were still damp after a recent rainfall.
"They ghosted me"
After CBS News New York's story aired in 2023, Mortley and leaders from BQLT met with an engineer hired by the trust, who outlined the steps both parties needed to take.
"Dead silence. They ghosted me ... for months," he says. Mortley followed up with an email in March, he says, then again in May.
He added, "If my building does happen to collapse, what would you say to me? You're sorry?"
BQLT says it has a long history of successful collaboration with neighbors to address their needs.
A spokesperson provided a detailed statement, which read, in part:
"...We have made every effort to facilitate the work while adhering to our standard safety protocols. We have a strong track record of working with neighbors on similar access agreements...Unfortunately, the process with Mr. Stephen has encountered challenges. Our standard requests for a detailed work plan, proof of insurance, necessary permits and documentation were returned incomplete. Specifically, the plan lacked essential safety measures, such as scaffolding or support for the below-ground wall, proof of insurance."
Mortley said he provided a plan and is considering taking the trust to court.
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